Sports editor -- (Butte) Montana Standard

The Montana Standard, a daily newspaper in Butte, is seeking a sports editor.

The Standard’s award-winning sports desk covers more than a dozen high schools and Montana Tech, a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. We’re the leading source of news for southwestern Montana.

We’re looking for a leader who knows that a vibrant sports section goes beyond a box score, someone with innovative ideas who can add a little polish to an already seasoned staff.

The job includes directing full-time and part-time reporters. Journalists with design skills are encouraged to apply.

The ideal applicant will have leadership experience at a daily newspaper, but we’ll also consider reporters with proven track records ready to make the jump into management. You’ll join an aggressive newsroom with a renewed focus on digital and enterprise reporting.

The Standard’s coverage area includes some of the nation’s premiere recreation destinations. Hunting, fishing, skiing and camping opportunities abound. A hub for the regional economy, Butte also offers shopping, a vibrant arts scene, and affordable housing.

We offer an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, 401K plan, and paid time off. We are an equal-opportunity employer. You can see our website at www.mtstandard.com and learn more about our parent company at www.lee.net.

To apply, complete an online application at www.mtstandard.com/workhere. Please provide cover letter, resume and clips.

Contact Editor Matt Christensen with questions at matt.christensen@mtstandard.com.

http://www.journalismjobs.com/Job_Listing.cfm?JobID=1535898

 

A little remote. About halfway between Missoula (University of Montana) and Bozeman (Montana State University), but they rarely do anything on either of those themselves (share content with other Lee papers). It tends to be high schools and Montana Tech (NAIA). They have a junior hockey team, but in recent years they have been really bad (like 3-45 won-loss records, losing 18-3 type bad).

 

Another thing about Butte: Giant EPA Superfund site.

Former holder told the higher-ups last week he's cutting back to part-time, effective immediately.

Lots of work, early deadlines, the other full-timer is an idiot.

Also, Lee is advertising for a sports editor 18 months after laying off sports editor Bruce Sayler, and legally when you lay off a person and eliminate the job title (and do away with "an unneeded position") you're required to wait two years before bringing that job title back. I understand Bruce might be possibly somewhat pissed.

When the Standard posted a story online about looking for a sports editor, along with announcing some new hires, they ended up having to disable reader comments on the story.

 

Worked with Bruce. Good guy. Most of the staff from 2-3 years ago is no longer there.

There's been constant rumors for 2-3 years now of merging some of the operations between Butte and Helena (60 miles north, another Lee paper), but it hasn't happened yet. Both Butte and Helena have had substantial manpower reductions in the past 3 years.

Bottom line, it is what it is. Not a terrible spot for a younger reporter/desk person to move up to a sports editor position. This would be a really hands on job. By that I mean expect to be doing a great deal of the reporting and layout stuff yourself in addition to whatever "supervisory" stuff might be involved.

Butte is home to Olympic freestyle bronze medalist Byron Wilson. He spends most of his time either in Europe or at the USOC base in Utah now, but they did a big parade for him after he medaled at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010.

You'll get a fair amount of snow and cold winters. Not quite as remote as, say, Casper (Wyo.), but the geography does provide some challenges.

 

The sports staff that was under him basically quit as a show of support, and the section has gone downhill from there due to eliminating "unneeded positions" and whatnot. You'll march right into the tale end of football season and immediately get on the Butte football beat, where they have a senior star QB who is averaging close to 500 passing yards a game and is being looked at by FCS schools and D-Is in the area.
The right person who has tough skin and can get over people trying to compare him/her to Sayler/the past crew has a chance to really develop something and shine.

 

By the time they hire anyone, and the person arrives, football season will be a distant memory.

 

Posting doesn't mention layout. Anyone know if layout is involved?

 

I can't read. In the Flagstaff thread, it mentioned Lee newspapers were going to design hubs. Might that impact this paper?

 

Last I heard from a really good friend at a sister paper, Butte is still doing most, if not all, of its own layout. When I've seen the hard copy paper, I wondered if the layout guy was wearing a blindfold. Yes, it was THAT bad.

Lee is trying to implement pagination hubs --- at least three in the Midwest, not sure about the far west --- but it's a slower process. I've been predicting for 4 years now, the Lee Montana papers (Butte, Billings, Missoula, Helena) would combine pagination efforts and I'm surprised it hasn't happened just yet.

 

That was me. I asked about it and it could be months away for some of the western papers.